Sweet, tangy raspberry cheesecake balancing out the rich fudgy chocolate brownies is definitely what these raspberry cheesecake brownies are all about. They’re indulgence at it’s finest.
Want more brownies? You must try these absolute favourite biscoff brownies and these gorgeous black forest brownies too.
Why you’ll love them
Sinfully rich and incredibly decadent, these brownies are just what you need to calm your brownie cravings. Chocolate and raspberries together really are a stunning combination.
These brownies are simple to make with everything easily layered up and baked to indulgent perfection.
What makes these raspberry cheesecake brownies really sing is the raspberry compote in all it’s gorgeous, swirly glory over the top of the cheesecake layer.
This compote is bright and zingy and can be made with frozen berries, meaning you can make these brownies all year round.
I love this brownie recipe. I had to play around with my favourite brownie recipe that I’ve used in these chocolate caramel brownies to come up with one that would happily let that cheesecake sit right on top and still bake perfectly and here it is.
Ingredients for raspberry cheesecake brownies
This picture might look like a lot of ingredients but they’re mostly things you’ll already have on hand with the exception of a few. All are readily available too.
Detailed quantities and directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Eggs: Eggs add structure and richness to both the brownie and the cheesecake layer.
- Sour cream: This adds a delightful tang to the cheesecake layer.
- Cream cheese: Also, used in the cheesecake layer, please make sure to use full fat.
- Raspberry compote: You could use jam if you wanted but this compote is next level and takes very little effort to make from scratch with frozen raspberries.
- Sugars: Both white and brown play different roles in this decadent dessert. Brown sugar adds moisture and fudginess to the brownies. Just enough white will sweeten the cream cheese perfectly.
- Butter: Moisture and flavour are both added by using butter.
- Cocoa: I use dutched process cocoa for it’s dark colour and rounded flavour.
- Flour: Just plain (all-purpose) flour is all you need.
- Chocolate: This adds real chocolate flavour and fudginess to the brownie.
- Vanilla: I love a little vanilla with chocolate. It has a real balancing effect.
- Salt: I use just a touch of salt to intensify flavours.
How to make them
Raspberry cheesecake brownies are super simple to make – 3 layers and all.
See the recipe card below for the full recipe details.
- Make the compote: Start by making the raspberry compote. It’s very easy, I promise, and you can make it days ahead if you like.
- The brownie batter: You’ll start by melting butter and chocolate, then whisking in eggs and sugar and vanilla (photo 1). Now sift over the dry ingredients (photo 2), fold it through and pour the batter into your baking tin (photo 3).
- The cheesecake: The cheesecake is a simple matter of beating everything together in a bowl, then gently spreading it over the top of the brownie batter (photo 4).
- Finishing it off: Dot the compote over the top (photo 5) then run a knife through it to create a swirl. Now bake and that’s it (photo 6).
Due to all the moisture in this recipe, I find these brownies take around 45 minutes to bake. All ovens vary though, so don’t be concerned if yours seem to cook quicker or even take longer.
Tips and tricks
- Let them cool: These brownies are best eaten at room temperature. They’re also easier to cut this way, so be patient and let them cool before digging in.
- Room temperature ingredients: Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature before beginning. They’ll combine best this way.
- Don’t skip sifting: It’s really important to sift your dry ingredients. This makes sure any lumps have been removed and you don’t end up with a lump of cocoa or flour mid-bite.
- Golden cheesecake: Due to the baking time, the cheesecake layer does get golden around the edges. It doesn’t worry me but if you prefer it to stay more white, bake your brownies for 15 minutes, before topping and baking for another 20-25 minutes. I will say, the cheesecake is a little trickier to spread out this way though.
If you’ve never made brownies from scratch before, don’t worry, it’s not difficult at all but the flavour is just on a whole other level to the box mix variety. Definitely do yourself a favour and make a batch of raspberry cheesecake brownies.
PIN IT:
Click to PIN this recipe for later!
If you try these raspberry cheesecake brownies, please take a moment to leave a rating and comment below. I love hearing from you and it helps other readers too! You can also take a photo and tag @sugarsaltmagic on Instagram.
More recipes you’ll love
- Ferrero Rocher Brownies
- Fudgy Tim Tam Brownies
- Fudgy Marshmallow Brownies
- Chocolate Salted Butterscotch Brownies
- Thick, Fudgy Chocolate Chip Brownies
- Raspberry cheesecake
Never Miss a Recipe!
Get the latest recipes straight to your inbox!
Ingredients
FOR THE BROWNIE BASE
- 85 g unsalted butter (¾ stick / 3oz)
- ¼ cup finely chopped dark (50-70%) chocolate (1.8oz / 50g)
- 1 cup packed brown sugar (5.3oz / 150g)
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar (1.8oz / 50g)
- 3 large eggs, room temp
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 95 g plain (all-purpose) flour (¾ cup / 3.4oz) (notes 2)
- 50 g dutched process cocoa (½ cup / 1.8oz) (notes 2)
- ½ teaspoon salt
FOR THE CHEESECAKE LAYER
- 250 g cream cheese, softened (8.8oz) (notes 3)
- 50 g granulated white sugar (¼ cup / 1.8oz)
- 1 large egg, room temp
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup sour cream, room temp (60ml)
- ¼ cup raspberry compote (60ml)
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Instructions
- If you haven't already, start by making the raspberry compote.
FOR THE BROWNIE BASE
- Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F /160C fan forced and line a 20cm / 8 inch square tin with baking paper.
- In a large bowl, melt together the butter and chocolate either over a saucepan of simmering water or in the microwave (stirring well every 30 seconds). Let it cool slightly.
- Add both sugars, the eggs and the vanilla to the chocolate mix and whisk with a balloon whisk until well combined.
- Sift in the flour, cocoa and salt, then mix gently until just combined.
- Pour the brownie batter into the prepared tin.
FOR THE CHEESECAKE LAYER
- In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute with an electric beater).
- Add the egg, sour cream and vanilla and beat just until smooth.
- Spoon the cheesecake mixture over the brownie batter in the tin, and level out.
- Use a teaspoon to dot the compote over the top of the cheesecake mix, then run a knife through to swirl it.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with just a sticky crumb or two attached.
Notes
- All ovens vary – always test for doneness 5-8 minutes before the recipe suggests
- For best results, you should always weigh ingredients like flour and sugar. Kitchen scales are relatively cheap but if you can’t weigh the ingredients, use the spoon and level method (don’t scoop).
- Cream cheese: If you buy these in a 225g / 8oz pack that will also work fine. Here in Australia, our standard is 250g / 8.8oz.
This post may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission for my referral, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Sugar Salt Magic.
14 Comments on “Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies”
Way to cake like texture. Was hoping for more of a fudge like. The flavor is there but the mixture is not. I weighed everything on a scale as well. I will tweet them a bit next time.
Hi Jim. That texture can be caused by overmixing or overbaking. Just try baking them a shorter time. They’re normally very fudgy when I make them.
I doubled the recipe and baked in a 13 x 9 pan. Glad I doubled the recipe because these brownies were delicious and DEVOURED. I normally prefer a straight-up brownie without any adornment but these have converted me. I may have used nearly every spatula and bowl in my kitchen to make these but they were well worth the clean up.
So happy you love it, Pamela. Doubling the recipe is such a great idea 🙂
The brownie was much too cakey (I didn’t overmix), and the cheesecake was more like custard—it was too eggy. There should have been some added salt to the cheesecake mixture too to help bring out the flavors more. The bake time was too long for the brownies but not long enough for the cheesecake so it didn’t bake properly. Very disappointed.
Sorry it didn’t work for you, Britta. I test my recipes a number of times and didn’t come across the issues you’ve mentioned.
We have made these twice. My daughter made the first batch and I made the second. Both times they were fabulous! This is a great recipe. It is well thought out and not too hard. My 16 year old managed fine by herself. This one is a keeper!!
So happy you love them Jana. Thanks so much for using my recipe 🙂
Does it need 3×225g cream cheese?
thank you.
Hi Tamuna. No, you just need one block. The “3” refers to note number 3. Happy baking
Marie, these look terrific!
The combination of dark chocolate and raspberry is one of my favourite, plus the addition of cream cheese. That’s irresistibly delicious!
Thank you so much Ben.
Out of curiosity, would I be able to make the cream cheese layer without the sour cream? I know I COULD but would it still be tasty and swirlable?
Hi Carly, you could but the sour cream does loosen the mixture a touch so maybe just add a tiny bit of milk instead. You don’t taste the sour cream per se but it adds a slight tang which goes well with the rich brownies.